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Tannhausers like mushrooms. All sorts of mushrooms: chestnut, button, oyster mushrooms...and shiitakes. Unfortunately, last week, I discovered that shiitakes don't always like me.

Thirty-six hours after eating some shiitakes, my skin started itching like mad. First in the groin, then on the legs, then on my neck. After 48 hours, I had developed red 'scratch marks' - even though I hadn't been scratching. Some of these went the length of my arm, others were in patches. Some looked like I'd been attacked. I took some photos at this point, though believe me, these do not do it justice.

The cause was a complete mystery until I stumbled across a New York Times article that mentioned shiitake flagellate erythma (sp?) or shiitake dermatitis. It was the only skin condition I could find that had involved those distinctive stripes. apparently it was only formally identified in the mid 70s. It's a toxic reaction some people have to undercooked or raw shiitakes. One study found about 0.5 % of their sample population was affected.

The duty nurse I saw at the docs had never heard of it, the doc likewise, and I was asked if my research had turned up any treatment options! I said mostly it was treated with a topical corticosteroid and a strong oral anti-histamine. So that's what I was prescribed, which is a bit alarming, though I guess you can't go wrong with those.

Even after three days it was still spreading, until quite a big percentage of my body was plastered in weals and scratches, some blistering, mostly itching like buggery. After five days it subsided and it's now more or less gone.

Anyhow, from this unpleasant episode, I conclude the following:

1) Always cook your shiitake mushrooms thoroughly
2) The New York Times has its uses

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